Teachers have a lot of amazing qualities – not to mention a high level of education –  that makes them well-suited for a range of career options. However, there comes a point in some teachers’ careers where they get a little tired of classroom teaching.  If this sounds like you, but you’d still like to work with children, no worries! There are plenty of other great jobs out there, and you’re probably already qualified for most of them. Here are our top three recommendations for the best jobs for teachers who don’t want to teach in a classroom: 1. Early...

Every child deserves the opportunity to develop to their full potential. If you suspect your infant or toddler may have a developmental delay or disability, it can be a lot to take on by yourself. That’s where early intervention comes in.  Early intervention is a professional service that is proven to help your child overcome challenges, learn, and grow. Here are some of the main reasons why it’s important to seek out early intervention support, and why to do it in the early stages of your child’s life. Why Is Early Intervention Important For My Child? Early intervention is important...

EI Spotlight Meet Chelsea Davis! She started with About Play in May and has proved already that she is a wonderful addition to our team. She keeps her family training sessions fun and creative while always working towards achieving goals. Chelsea celebrates the small things and is a great cheerleader for not only the children she serves but the whole family unit! Thank you Chelsea for always striving for GREATNESS, we are so happy you are here! Congratulations Chelsea! -EIS Beth Child Spotlight Nolan brings so much happiness and light into the room with his fun personality! Nolan has accomplished...

BabyNet is South Carolina’s interagency early intervention system for children under 3 years old who may have developmental conditions or delays. The system provides these childrens’ families with the services and information they need to be the best possible caregivers.  BabyNet is a great resource, but we know it can be a bit overwhelming for families who are new to the system. That’s why we’ve created a complete guide with everything you need to know about BabyNet.  If you’re new to BabyNet and looking for more information, read on! How Do I Get Access to BabyNet Services? Getting access to...

The first few years of your child’s life are critical for their brain development. In fact, during their first three years, your baby will have up to twice as many neural connections as an adult, and their brain will have reached about 80% of its adult volume! That being said, engaging them in brain stimulating activities early on is important. But don’t fear – you don’t need to spend money on high-tech sensory toys or lots of time brainstorming the most creative activities. Even the simplest play activities will make a world of a difference in your infant’s brain development. ...

Do you enjoy working with children? Are you energetic and creative? Self-motivated and good at time management? A career as an early intervention specialist could be a great fit for you! We often get the question, “What exactly do early intervention specialists do?” Well, here’s some insight into what our early intervention specialists at About Play do on a daily basis and what skills they need to succeed. What Does an Early Intervention Specialist Do Throughout a Typical Workday? Early intervention specialists spend most of their time interpreting data to assess developmental delays, working with children and families during home...

EI Spotlight Janelle has been with About Play since October 2020, and we’re so glad to have her be a part of our About Play team. Janelle puts a lot of time and effort into each family that she serves to provide a quality service. Janelle has really grown and developed in her knowledge as an EI in the 6 1/2 months that she has been with us and we really appreciate all of her hard work. Congratulations Janelle! -EIS Stacy Child Spotlight This is my best buddy, Jaxson! I began working with Jaxson almost four years ago when I...

Sensing that something might be off with your child’s development can be stressful. You may be wondering if something is really wrong, and what steps you need to take in order to provide them with the best care.  For families with developmentally delayed children, early intervention support can be a great service. Through play, early interventionists provide children ages 0-6 with the tools they need to grow their physical, cognitive, social/emotional, communication, and self-help skills. However, it may be tricky to know whether your child is just developing at their own pace, or if there is actually some cause for...

What Is an Early Intervention Specialist? At About Play, we’re always talking about our amazing, passionate team of early intervention specialists and the impact they have on children and families. But if you’re new to the field, you may still be looking for information about what an early intervention specialist even is.  Look no further! Here’s a quick overview of what early intervention specialists do, what kind of training they have, and what benefits they bring to children and families. What Does an Early Intervention Specialist Do? In general, an early intervention specialist works with children ages 0-6 who have...

EI Spotlight Brittany is so deserving of the EI Spotlight. She has great relationships with the families she serves and goes above and beyond to advocate for her children and their families, going out of her way to make sure they have all the resources and services they need. We are so happy to have her on our team! Thank you Brittany for being such an asset to our team!! -EIS Monica Child Spotlight “James is definitely one of a kind with his energetic personality! He’s using full sentences and is able to label many shapes, animals, and letters. James’...

According to the CDC, developmental disabilities affect 1 in 6 children in the United States. Developmental delays, often due to conditions noticed at birth, special needs, or delays that occur in the early years, are more common than most people know. And, with the right therapies, provided in your child’s early years, many of these developmental delays can be addressed. But for parents, it’s scary to think that your child might be behind in any way, and it can be intimidating to know where to start when it comes to finding help. It’s important to know that early intervention services...

A career as an early intervention specialist is certainly a rewarding one. Early interventionists work one-on-one with children ages 0-6 who have developmental delays or disabilities to equip them with the skills and strategies they need to learn and grow. Best of all, early intervention specialists do all of that through play!  If you’re passionate about early education, social work, or child psychology, you may be interested in a career as an early interventionist. Here’s what you need to know to become an early intervention specialist: Who Can Become an Early Intervention Specialist? Anyone with a passion for education can...

EI Spotlight “Jennifer is so hard working and dedicated to improving the lives of the children she serves. Jennifer is a joy to be around and her passion is contagious. Jennifer is an asset to our team!!!” Thank you Jennifer for being such an asset to our team!! -EIS Lauren D. Child Spotlight “Nicholas is full of energy and so much fun! He just learned all of his colors and surprises us each week with a new skill. He has made so much progress since I have been with him and is excited to try new things! Nicholas is always...

There’s nothing more exciting than seeing your baby’s first milestones. Watching them be more aware of their movements, how their eyes follow you or wander about the things around them, how they explore their surroundings, how they express themselves with sounds and actions, and so much more, will just bring any parent so much joy, confidence, and a feeling of being at ease. Seeing them grow and develop will never fail to make you feel proud. The first five years in your baby’s life are truly the most crucial. Though not every child grows the same, perhaps some parents may...

There’s nothing more satisfying and rewarding than seeing your child conquer one milestone after the other. Being able to witness their growth and development is priceless. And just seeing them being able to explore new movements and recognize what’s around them effortlessly means the world. Though not all children grow and develop the same, there may be some instances or moments where you feel that some of the milestones that your child is supposed to have achieved by this point in their young lives are taking a while to happen. They may be experiencing some developmental delays  in gross motor...

EI Spotlight “Chelsea is the definition of a team player! She is a hard worker, always up for a challenge, and is willing to go the extra mile to help a child or family in need. Chelsea’s kid’s always look forward to her coming for her visit and seeing what creative and fun activity she has with her that week. Chelsea is such an asset to our team and we are so happy to have her!!” Thank you Chelsea for being such an asset to our team!! -EIS Elizabeth Child Spotlight “Rylan has progressed so much in the time that...

Like us adults, our little ones need massages as well – and not just for pampering! An infant massage is a process of rubbing an infant’s muscles and stroking the body in a manner specifically designed to keep babies relaxed and healthy.  Similar in the way a regular massage provides pain relief for our bodies, it does the same for our babies and much more. In fact, infant massages have been around since ancient times, primarily in Asian and Pacific Island cultures, and it has been long believed that this method is known to be healing in both physical and...

EI Spotlight Stephanie is one of our amazing EI’s that’s been with the company for almost a year and she’s truly committed in making sure that each child get the services they need and deserve. Stephanie always rises to the occasion and makes sure she completes any task given no matter how challenging it may be. She loves her job and the families she serves, and it shows. She also makes family training fun for both the child and parent and we love that great rapport!! Thank you Stephanie for being such an asset to our team!! EIS- DeShae Child...

Observing our children as they grow will always be exciting and fascinating. Seeing them move, grow, discover, and develop new skills will always be a milestone worth celebrating. As soon as they are born, there are fine motor skills that we have to keep in check to see if they are on the right track. Fine motor skills refer to the movements children make with the small muscles of the hands. It may also involve other movements in other small muscles. And the development of these fine motor skills is necessary and vital to our children’s wellbeing, and in mapping...

EI Spotlight About play has truly helped my family in many ways I could have never imagined. Before receiving help Kendrick, was very shallow and shy especially when it came to speak or even showing emotions for that matter. After joining with a wonderful family here at About Play, Kendrick shows interest in other children, he’s very fluent with speaking and the most amazing part of it all he’s not shy anymore and I owe it all to our wonderful EI, Jonte’. Thank you Jonte’ for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “Jordan meets his goals each...

During the early years of your child’s life, there are many signs that indicate growth and development such as taking the first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye-bye”. Each child is unique in developing at their own pace, so there’s no exact indication when a child will acquire a given skill.  However, other infants and toddlers meet these developmental milestones more slowly than anticipated. This is called a developmental delay. Developmental delay is typically no cause for an alarm but an ongoing interruption or multiple delays can be a sign of later challenges in their life. It...

Early intervention is a foundational tool for better living. Through it, toddlers can learn, refine and improve their developmental skills all round and hopefully mitigate the risks of disability. It is through the help of EI specialists that this is made possible. With a team of knowledgeable experts in place, treatment can occur constructively. Finding the right team, however, can be tasking especially if your child has a rare set of needs.  We understand how frustrating this can be for parents and have therefore devised a more reliable treatment plan. At About Play, we focus on evaluating the needs of...

EI Spotlight Our EI spotlight this week is Destany! Destiny loves building relationships with kids and their families. We’re so thankful you’re on our team, Destany!! Thank you Destany for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “Caitlyn is enthusiastic and excited about ANYTHING that I bring her/show her and she’s always 110% attentive & engaged during FT where mom is also great support. Caitlyn has an energetic personality, she loves to talk and have conversations with you and her speech has improved tremendously, along with her self-help skills. She’s very independent and always takes the initiative to...

It is important to keep track of how your baby develops right from the start. The small movements, actions, and speech progressions all determine whether or not your child is growing appropriately. Fair enough, other milestones may be hit slower but all the same, the important thing is to confirm a healthy trend. By the first half, your child typically should be apt in certain physical, mental, and communication skills. It shows in how they behave and act around people or even when alone. There should be cause for alarm when you notice predominant inactiveness all round. That said, here...

The term Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) may bring many things to mind, but what exactly is an IFSP? When a child is 0-3 years old and found eligible for early intervention services, a team of professionals and parents meet together to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan. The IFSP is both the process of making the plan and the actual document. This written plan describes what the child’s current situation is, what services will be provided to the child and their family, who will provide the services, and where the services will be provided. But how do you start...

Children are naturally expected to hit crucial developmental milestones as they develop. This includes significant progress in language and speech, cognitive ability, and motor skills. Unfortunately, not every child grows at the expected pace, and hence developmental interruptions could potentially become a stumbling block. Luckily, EI programs have become a refuge for families with unique needs. One of the most effective methodologies includes playful learning which in turn has born tangible results. Here is why this approach proves reliable. Enhances a plethora of skills- play is child-centered and for this reason, a lot of life skills are gained along the...

It is always a great joy to see your child opportunely develop and achieve various milestones. But sometimes, children find it difficult or take longer to appropriately comprehend basic human behaviors such as talking, moving around, socializing with others, growing in height or weight, and the like.  If you have noticed a lag in any of these, it’s normal to feel worried — but there’s no need to be. With adequate early intervention treatment, your child can catch up in no time! One of the best places to seek such services is at About Play – an organization that focuses...

Holistic development occurs in multiple stages. Naturally, children are expected to progress sequentially as they grow older. For some, this process occurs within the required time frame while for others certain hurdles emerge along the way.  According to Jean Piaget, developmental milestones are characterized by four key stages: the motor stage, cognitive development, language and speech, and finally the operational stage. Each of these is interdependent.  Before your little one can upgrade to motor responses, for example, there must be some degree of brain maturity.  When it comes to hearing and speech, the same principle applies. Without proper hearing, a...

EI Spotlight Rose Nelson has left a lasting impression with Beau and his family. He is so excited to see her that when he knows she is visiting he waits by the door and says “Rose? Rose? Where are you?” Their relationship and connection are what #AboutPlay is all about. They are so happy to have her! Congratulations, Rose!! Thank you Rose for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “In the past year Jokubashas grown so much from not speaking and acting shy to speaking in complete sentences in Lithuanian,(his family’s native tongue), and in English. Hehas...

What happens in a child’s life and who they interact with plays a crucial role in determining who they grow up to become. Make a positive impact on them by starting early; it is easier to instill vital life lessons and disciplines while they are still young compared to when they’re older. Not sure what you should be focusing on? Not to worry — we made a list of 5 focus areas to help you raise healthy, developed children. 1. Emotional Matters Do you validate your child’s emotions and opinions? If you watch crime documentaries, most criminals trace their sadistic...